


For The Splendor Of It All

by hafital



Category: Dracula: The Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-26
Updated: 2008-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-28 04:03:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/303528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hafital/pseuds/hafital
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Many are the ways of love, surprising are their ends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For The Splendor Of It All

**Author's Note:**

> Written for astolat in the Yuletide 2008 Challenge. The other upload for this is an old import from the previous yuletide archive.

_Many are the ways of love, surprising are their ends. Perhaps the gulf is just to wide, perhaps I really am alone here, on this further side of life. It would still be a small price to pay for the splendor of it all."_

_\-- Alexander Lucard_

***

With his fangs bared, ready to bite, Lucard held Maximilian up in the air. "Hey, I saved you," Max said, in all his innocent effrontery. He had much to learn.

"But I am a vampire, Maximilian."

Like all of his victims, Max didn't fight, only panted and looked at Lucard with such wondering wild-eyed panic. Lucard was truly tempted. Such a fine morsel. An after dinner aperitif. A snack to sooth his annoyance over Nosforatu, that ever growing nuisance.

Max's heart beat quickly, like the buzzing of a hummingbird. His cheeks were flushed, pouting lips glossy and open. The boy was more excited than scared. Lucard could smell Max's sweet blood pumping through his veins, full of sugar and salt and the tempting spice of innocence. For a moment Lucard could see the man Max might become -- tall, slight, pretty. Never let it be said that Lucard didn't recognize potential when he saw it. Nor was he one for being wasteful. He brought the boy closer. Max inhaled sharply, scrunched his eyes shut but otherwise made no protest. Ah yes, this might be fun. Lucard was patience epitomized, even despite his rising bloodlust that chimed to the tune of Max's pulse.

"However, not this time," he said, lowering the boy to the ground. "This time, we're even."

Max panted in relief. And oh, was that just the barest smidge of disappointment? "Whatever you say."

"Your uncle's going to be worried. Ride carefully on your way home."

"Count on it." Max flashed Lucard a smile before taking off for his bicycle, waving. "Bye," he said, with a distracted smile, and Lucard could only laugh.

"And be on the lookout for vampires," called Lucard. "They're everywhere!" He laughed again, watching the boy wobble on his bike before disappearing around a bend.

Lucard waited for a full second, then took to the air to follow Max's progress back to the Helsing house. He wasn't kidding; there were vampires everywhere. It wasn't safe for the boy to be out after dark. Perhaps Lucard should have a talk with Gustav over his lack of parenting skills. Lucard would be damned (or maybe that should be blessed?) if he'd let any other pesky sub-creature spoil his fun before he'd had a chance to let this particular dessert mature.

Even flying high in the cool night air, Lucard could smell the candied pulse of Max's blood. He watched Max dump his bike and run inside the Helsing house. "Sleep well," he murmured, sensing the boy's exhaustion and excitement over the night's events. "And dream of me."

Lucard laughed as he turned in his flight, letting his fangs emerge. He was hungry after denying himself. It only took a few moments to spot fresh prey. There, skulking in the shadows, Lucard found what he sought. Too far from home, and wonderfully alone.

"Don't you know, there are vampires about?" The boy screamed, and turned to run. Lucard laughed, thrilling at the little bit of chase, although he caught the boy too easily. Shorter than Max, and his blood was not so honeyed. The boy showed the whites of his eyes and he squirmed like an eel in Lucard's grip. Infinitely less appealing, but Lucard was not choosy, not tonight, not with his hunger singing in his hollow veins. He bent the boy back and sank his teeth into the fair skin at his neck.

***

Max stumbled in and out of Lucard's well-organized life, expanding on his talent for meddling, for appearing in his castle at all the wrong moments, projecting bravery and stupidity in equal measures, always with his blood saturated with pop rocks and cheetoes and bubble-gum. There were times when Lucard's patience was severely tested. He was only a vampire, after all, and how was he supposed to resist when Max practically fell into his lap every night, panting and looking at Lucard with his open-mouthed eagerness and reverence. As if he had a crush on Lucard, as if Max sought him out on purpose. Which of course, he did, because Lucard made sure of it.

Lucard smiled wide, he threatened and cursed and bared his teeth. He stalked around in his long cape, in his expensive tuxedo and played the never-ending game of cat and mice with Helsing and his little troop always tripping clumsily over the rugs in his castle.

In truth, it was all a bit boring, but so was watching wine age. Lucard set up traps to snare his prey. He pushed and pulled and wound the boy's enthusiasm around his hand like a leash. Ah yes. So sweet, so tempting, so easy to manipulate.

"Caught again," sighed Lucard, pressing Max against the stone wall in the main dining room. Max was taller now, nearly as tall as Lucard. What was he, seventeen years old? Almost, almost, he thought. Lucard brought his nose close to Max's neck and inhaled. "Tsk, tsk, Maximilian. This is a most distressing habit of yours."

Pant, pant. The boy's -- no, young man now -- breath skimmed over Lucard's skin. "Maybe I'm testing to see if you're paying attention," said Max.

Lucard chuckled. He pressed closer, and Max's heartbeat increased. "Oh, I assure you, I am."

Max relaxed in Lucard's grip, becoming pliable, flexible. Lucard felt the rush of blood flow down to his groin and sensed the heat that came off Max in delicious bursts of arousal. Perhaps Lucard should just take him now. He cupped Max's hardness and bent Max's neck to the side.

Right on queue, Gustav interrupted, accompanied with that loutish older boy and pretty little Sophie, yielding crosses and ampoules of holy water. Lucard hissed, tossing Max to the floor. Really, Lucard could always count on Gustav. What better restraint against his passions than the old bungling fool?

"Sophie, Chris, take Max home," said Gustav. With a sweaty brow and a fine flush across his cheeks, Max stood up and followed his brother, but he gave several looks back at Lucard before disappearing from the room.

Lucard backed away from the old man. "Are we to have a little heart to heart, my dear Gustav?"

"Leave the boy alone."

Ah. So they'd arrived there. Lucard sneered. "Come now, it's not I who keeps breaking into your home, disrupting your peace, is it?"

"You know what I mean."

"Are you speaking for Max, or for... Klaus?" He watched Gustav stand up straighter. Sorrow passed over the old man's face. Lucard grinned. Yes, perhaps Gustav had cause to worry. Not that that would stop him.

Gustav held his stake up higher, determinedly. Lucard went behind the dinning table, throwing a chair at Gustav, easily causing the old man to stumble. Lucard spun and changed into a wolf. He chased Gustav all the way home. "Remember, old man: no surrender, no mercy," he taunted, laughing loudly into the night.

***

From the balcony of his private chambers, Lucard looked out into the twinkling darkness. It was time to reel his prey in. He would wait no more.

"Come to me," he whispered.

Over the years, Max had become almost as familiar of all the ways in and out of the castle as Lucard was. Indeed, it was like a block of Swiss cheese, with its different tunnels and open windows. The cheese in the trap. Lucard groaned. That was a terrible joke. He would have to do better.

From somewhere below, in the lower floors, he sensed a breach across his land. Smiling, he turned, mentally guiding Max through the many corridors of the castle.

Max opened the door, looking around. Lucard's private chamber was filled with tapestries and rich, thick rugs, old furniture carefully maintained throughout the ages. A king-sized bed stood against the back wall. "I've never been up here before."

"I know," said Lucard, emerging from the shadows of the balcony. "Welcome, Maximilian." Lucard gave a short bow.

"You upset Uncle Gustav," said Max, standing in the center of the room.

"Did I? I'm sorry."

Lucard circled around. Max turned to always face him. His light hair fell over his eyes, and his jacket fell open. Good. Very good.

"What did you say to him?"

"Is that why you're here? To defend your Uncle's honor?"

"No. I came here to--" From underneath his jacket, Max took out a cross and a stake.

Lucard raised his arm, blocking the cross from his view. "Honestly, is that any way to behave as a guest in my house?"

"You think I'm a fool."

"Never," said Lucard, consolingly. "Rash, maybe. Over-eager, certainly, but never a fool."

Max lunged. Lucard sidestepped, twirling his cape like a matador distracting a bull. How fitting! Well, Max was more like a puppy than a bull, but it would do. With a twitch of his fingers, Lucard unclasped his cape. It fell over Max's cross. With a well-aimed kick, the cross went skittering across the floor. Lucard backhanded the stake free from Max's grip.

Max stepped backward, mouth falling open. "He warned me to stay away. I mean, obviously he always has, but this time it was different. He looked so defeated, so broken." A soft look of confusion fell over Max's features.

Lucard advanced slowly and let his jacket fall to the floor. He untied his tie, unbuttoning his cuffs, rolled up the sleeves to expose his forearms. Max backed up onto the bed, scrambling. Lucard undid the first few buttons of his shirt, letting the collar fall open.

"Max," he said. "I'll only say this once. Leave now. Or stay. Your choice."

Max's eyes fell to where Lucard exposed his neck, and swallowed. "But I want... I want--"

Lucard smiled. "Good enough." He flew across the room, onto the bed. Max squeaked, pressed himself flat to the mattress. Lucard pushed Max's jacket open. Max had the long lean body of a young athlete.

Max lifted up, tossing the jacket aside. He splayed his legs open and Lucard felt the rush of blood warm. Perfect. Lucard leaned in to taste the skin of Max's neck. Max licked his lips.

Yes, always so eager, so willing to rush head first into danger. Lucard smiled. He unbuttoned Max's jeans and freed his cock, the tip damp. Max gasped and held his breath, clutching at the bedclothes. Lucard looked into Max's eyes as he stroked up and down. His blood sang, thundering through his veins, sparking. This was what he had waited for, this perfection. He watched Max gasp, thrusting into his hand, looking at Lucard with lazy, glazed lust, panting and keening softly. Lucard nipped at Max's neck, not enough to break skin -- that would come later -- but hard enough for Max to arch his back, bite his lip, and come.

With a smile, Lucard lifted his hand to his lips and licked off one drop of semen. "That was delightful."

Max lay still on his back, staring at Lucard with a hooded gaze. His clever fingers opened Lucard's trousers. "Teach me what to do."

Lucard took Max's wandering hand and placed his lips against the pulse at Max's wrist. Oh, how he wanted. The desire surged, his fangs dropped. "Next time," he said, voice rough with desire. He was master of his passions; his passions did not master him. He refused to spoil this game too early.

"But--" Lucard felt Max's heart rate increase, and the pulse at his neck jumped.

"We don't want your uncle to worry, now do we?" Oh, it was tempting, so very tempting, but it did no good to pluck the fruit before it was ripe. This was just the start. "To answer your question, young Max, your uncle became upset for this very reason." He passed his hand down Max's chest over his shirt, feeling Max shiver and his muscles contract. "You would do well to listen to Gustav." A little truth to bait the trap further. Lucard rose from the bed. "Come," he said, taking Max by the arm. With a smile, he zipped Max back up, helped him into his jacket.

"I don't understand," said Max.

"All in good time."

Still looking perplexed, Max picked up his cross, hiding it beneath his jacket. Then, he picked up the stake. He walked to Lucard, brow creased, twirling the stake in his hands like a baton. Lucard warily watched but did nothing. Blue eyes so serious, searched Lucard's face. Then, Max broke out into a smile. "Oh, I get it. He thinks I'm being seduced. Falling under your spell."

"Something like that," said Lucard, his turn to be confused.

"He doesn't realize _I'm_ the one doing the seducing." Max kissed Lucard, plump lips moist and earnest and seeking. Lucard instinctively opened his mouth, tasting all of Max. Max sucked on his lower lip, then stepped back. "See ya next time." Max tossed the stake into the air and caught it, grinning. "Bye!" he said, and left the room.

Lucard blinked for a minute, letting his desire ebb away and then he started laughing. Oh yes. Everything was going exactly as planned. What better prey than that which baits itself? Lucard's laugh echoed through his chamber, down the hallways, and throughout each corridor of his castle.


End file.
